A U.S. VISITOR ROBBED.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15358, 5 October 1923, Page 6

A U.S. VISITOR ROBBED.

A CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER. There were many familiar features In a "confidence trick" case heard at Marylebone Police Court, when William Davidson, an elderly man, wearing a new light grey suit and described as a commission agent, with no fixed home, was charged with being concerned with another man in stealing £99 10s from George Daniels, of Pittsburg, U.S.A. Mr Daniels said that within a few days of his arrival he . met at the Tower of London a young man named Bert Wallace dressed as a colonial, who said he had just arrived from Paris and was staying at the Savoy Hotel. Next day,'as they were walking together through the Mall they saw Davidson walking in front of them. In taking a handkerchief from his pocket he dropped a letter which Wallace picked up and restored to him. Davidson was profuse in his thanks, and said the letter contained money whicli he was sending to a friend in Ireland. Jle added that he had received a large fortune from a brother who had died in America, a condition of the will being that he was to distribute £40,000 among the poor. He suggested that Mr Daniels and Wallace should help him in the distribution.

They went to a restaurant, where, after Wallace had shown his confidence in Davidson by entrusting him with an envelope marked "£500," Mr Daniels was induced to part with his money. The two men left and he never saw them again. Davidson was sent to prison for six months' hard labour.